Two award-winning women playwrights' work included in New Works Festival

Thursday

Jun 21, 2012 at 11:27 AM

MIDDLEBORO — Debra Wiess is returning to this year's "A Slice of Life" New Works Festival with her unique comedy "Welcome Inn," where guests check in, but do they check out?

MIDDLEBORO — Debra Wiess is returning to this year's "A Slice of Life" New Works Festival with her unique comedy "Welcome Inn," where guests check in, but do they check out?

"Welcome Inn" is one of five one-act plays to be presented by Theatre One Productions this weekend at the Alley Theatre.

Ms. Weiss is an award-winning Boston playwright/screenwriter and was a guest artist in the Kennedy Center Playwrights Intensive. For the last four years she has produced SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now) in Boston. The work of 19 women playwrights were showcased this winter by the organizationa.

Ms. Weiss is very pleased to again have her work performed as part of Theatre One's festival. "Welcome Inn" is directed by Peg Holzemer and features Middleboro actors Roger Clark and Linda Merritt.

This is Monica Raymond's first venture with Theatre One's "A Slice of Life" festival. In today's world where just about everyone's eyes are focused on an iPhone, iPod, iPad or computer, are these modern-day gadgets bringing us closer, or giving us a way to escape? Ms. Raymond's play, "Virtual," opens up that conversation. Monica is an award winning playwright and poet and has been recognized in both fields by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Her play The Owl Girl, a parable about Israel/Palestine, won the Peace Writing Award, the Castillo Theatre prize in political playwrighting, and a Clauder Competition Gold Metal. She works with CASA (Creative Action and Subversive Arts) at Occupy Boston, and is in her 12th year of trying to live a carbon neutral life in Cambridge. "Virtual" is directed by Peg Holzemer and features actors Bruce Kaiser of Carver and Kathy Bourne of Middleboro.

Inbetween plays, the audience can view the work of Lakeville Artist Ann El Khoury.

"Welcome Inn" and "Virtual" are the 4th and 5th offerings of five new one-act plays being performed this weekend along with "Take Two Aspirin/Call Me in the Morning," "Crackers" and "Fresh Fruit."

This project is sponsored by the Middleboro and Lakeville cultural councils and will be staged at the Alley Theatre, 133 Center St., on Saturday at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30, and Sunday at 2 p.m., with doors opening at 1:30.

All tickets for this special event are $15 at the door. The plays are intended for mature audiences. No reservations. Food donations for the Middleboro COA Senior Pantry will be accepted at both performances. For more information, call 508-947-7716.

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